Sanita Hill Circle is a progressive circle dance (in which couples mix with other couples), described in Ed Durlacher's Country Dances (1947).
A double circle of couples, with sets of two couples facing each other, the Follow always on the right, so everyone is facing someone of the opposite role.
The dance has three different figures, which are alternated, Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3. But given that each figure is independent, the dance could also be decomposed into three individual dances of increasing difficulty, if desired.
Figure 1 (64 counts)
Circle left
Circle right
Do-si-do your opposite
Do-si-do your partners
Star by the right
Back by the left
Forward and back and say hello
Forward and through and say goodbye
Take hands four and circle to the left (8 counts). Then circle to the right back home (8 counts). It doesn't matter exactly how far you travel as long as you travel the same distance on both circles and make it back home.
Do-si-do opposite by walking around them without turning, passing right shoulders forward, passing back to back, and passing left shoulders backward (8 counts). Then turn to face partner and do-si-do partner (8 counts).
Take right hands four and walk forward (8 counts), then take left hands four and walk forward to home place (8 counts).
Taking inside hands with partner, approach opposites (4 counts), say "Hello" and fall back to place (4 counts). Approach again, but this time, say "Goodbye" and pass through by the right shoulder to approach a different couple, the next couple that was facing the same ways as your previous opposites in the circle (8 counts).
Figure 2 (64 counts)
Circle left
Swing your opposite
Circle right
Swing your partners
Ladies chain
Chain them back
Forward and back and say hello
Forward and through and say goodbye
Take hands four and circle to the left (8 counts). Then drop hands with your partner, take closed position with your opposite and swing them with a buzz-step swing (8 counts).
Take hands four and circle to the right (8 counts). Then drop hands with your opposite, take closed position with your partner and swing them with a buzz-step swing (8 counts).
Follows take right hands and wheel halfway around clockwise to take left hands with opposites, who put right hands around their waists and turns them halfway around counterclockwise to face other couple again (8 counts). Repeat that to regain partner and position (8 counts).
Repeat same "Hello" and "Goodbye" progression from Figure 1 (16 counts).
Figure 3 (64 counts)
Chasse by your partner
Chasse back on the same old track
Allemande left with your opposite
Allemande right with your own
Half promenade
Half right and left
Forward and back and say hello
Forward and through and say goodbye
Leads chasse four counts to the right, passing behind partner, as Follows chasse four steps to the left, passing in front of partner (4 counts), then honor opposites (4 counts). Then chasse back to place, Leads again passing in front of partner (4 counts), and honor opposites again (4 counts).
Take left hand with opposite and turn all the way around to face partner in home place (8 counts), then take right hands with partner and turn 3/4 of the way around to face to the right in home place (8 counts).
Keeping right hands with partner, take left hands under, and promenade halfway counterclockwise around opposite, passing by the Leads' left shoulders, into opposite place (8 counts). Then offer right hands to opposite, pass through by the right, offer left hands to partner, and turn counterclockwise halfway into home place (8 counts).
Repeat same "Hello" and "Goodbye" progression from Figure 1 (16 counts).
Repeat Figures in Succession at Discretion of Leader, Usually Four Times
"Sanita Hill" is the intended tune, but any square, walking tempo tune will do.
© 2020 Nick Enge
For more dance descriptions, see our three books on dancing:
The Book of Mixers: 100 Easy-Teach Dances for Getting Acquainted (2022) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge,
Cross-Step Waltz: A Dancer's Guide (2019) by Richard Powers and Nick & Melissa Enge, and
Waltzing: A Manual for Dancing and Living (2013) by Richard Powers and Nick Enge.
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